President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner says US and Israel intervening in Argentina's business ahead of protest organized by investigating attorneys demanding answers in the mysterious death of prosecutor Alberto Nisman.Argentine President Cristina Fernandez suggested on Wednesday that the United States and Israel were meddling in the South American country's business, the latest barb amid intensifying rhetoric ahead of a protest being organized by investigating attorneys demanding answers in the mysterious death of prosecutor Alberto Nisman.Fernandez, who made the comments while visiting a nuclear power plant, didn't mention the march planned for Wednesday evening or Nisman, who was found dead Jan. 18, just hours before he was to elaborate to Congress on accusations that Fernandez and Foreign Minister Hector Timerman had orchestrated a secret deal with Iran to cover up the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center.Fernandez referred to letters that Timerman said he sent Tuesday to his counterparts in the United States and Israel. Timerman said the two countries should not get involved in Argentina's affairs, but did not provide specifics. "Some people wanted to play dumb and look the other way," Fernandez said of the accusations. "I urge all compatriots to read every paragraph of those letters." Fernandez, known for populist, fiery speeches, did not elaborate. But she did cast the apparent friction as a battle of economic interests and attempts by other countries to keep Argentina down.

"In reality, they prefer an Argentina without a nuclear plan, an Argentina that does not develop scientifically, an Argentina with low salaries and cheap labor," she said. A US embassy spokesman declined to comment, instead referring to a State Department statement from Tuesday saying the United States had offered assistance in the Nisman investigation.

A spokeswoman at the Israeli embassy also declined to comment. The accusations of meddling, similar to others made by administration officials in recent weeks, come at a time of increasing tension as Fernandez's government has struggled to confront a growing institutional crisis since Nisman was found with a bullet in his right temple.

The day after he was found in a pool of blood, Nisman, 51, had planned to elaborate to Congress his allegations of the secret deal, which he said Fernandez orchestrated in exchange for favorable deals on oil and grain from Iran. Fernandez and Timerman have repeatedly denied the allegations.

The march, commemorating a month since Nisman was found dead, has turned into a political dispute since all the opposition parties have said they plan to participate.

White House says Israeli officials mischaracterized US negotiations on Iran nuclear program and criticizes 'continued practice of cherry-picking' and leaking information out of context.The White House said on Wednesday that Israeli officials had mischaracterized US negotiations on Iran's nuclear program and criticized what it called "a continued practice of cherry-picking" and leaking information out of context. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the Obama administration is mindful of the need to keep the negotiations private and accused Israel of distorting the US' position. "I think it is fair to say that the United States is mindful of the need to not negotiate in public and ensure that information that's discussed in the negotiating table is not taken out of context and publicized in a way that distorts the negotiating position of the United States and our allies," Earnest said at a news briefing."There's no question that some of the things that the Israelis have said in characterizing our negotiating position have not been accurate," he added. "There's no question about that." He also denied reports that Washington is limiting the information it gives Israel about the Iran talks. "I know that there were some initial reports that indicated that the United States is no longer communicating with our allies in Israel about the ongoing negotiations with Iran. That obviously is false," Earnest said. "There are any number of meetings that have taken place in recent weeks and are scheduled for the weeks ahead that indicate the continued close communication and coordination between US national security officials and their Israel counterparts," he added. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, also accused Israel of "selective sharing of information" but declined to say what information had been cherry-picked. "I think it is safe to say not everything you are hearing from the Israeli government is an accurate reflection of the details of the talks," Psaki said. The negotiations between the United States, Russia, China, France, Germany, Britain and Iran have reached a crucial stage, as the countries previously agreed to deliver a basic framework agreement by the end of March and a final agreement due by June 30. Earnest would not discuss details of US-Israeli consultations on Iran nuclear negotiations.

"But I think it is fair to say that the United States is mindful of the need to not negotiate in public and ensure that information that's discussed in the negotiating table is not taken out of context and publicized in a way that distorts the negotiating position of the United States and our allies," he said.

Channel 2 reports says US has stopped updating Israel about developments in nuclear negotiations with Iran in response to Netanyahu's planned congress speech, after Boehner admits he failed to tell administration he had invited PM.A report claims the US administration has stopped updating Israel about developments in nuclear negotiations between world power and Iran, allegedly in response to Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision to accept an invitation by Republicans to address Congress on the issue. According to the report by Israel's Channel 2, US Undersecretary of State, Wendy Sherman, who is involved in the talks has announced she will no

longer be updating Israelis about the talks. Susan Rice, US President Obama's National Security Advisor, has also reportedly announced she is cutting ties with her Israeli counterpart, Yossi Cohen, who serves as Netanyahu's National Security Advisor.US House Speaker John Boehner says the White House might have tried to quash his plan to have Israeli's prime minister speak to Congress if it had gotten wind of the invitation. That helps explain why Boehner made the offer to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu without letting the White House know in advance. Netanyahu's speech is set for March 3. Some Democrats plan to skip it because they consider it a divisive stunt and a breach of protocol that suggests the US is taking sides in coming Israeli elections.Boehner was asked by "Fox News Sunday" why he told Israel's ambassador to the United States not to mention the invitation to the White House in advance. Boehner says he "wanted to make sure that there was no interference." “There’s a serious threat facing the world," he told Fox News. "And I believe Prime Minister Netanyahu is the perfect person to deliver the message of how serious this threat is.” The statement makes clear that Boehner made the invitation without telling the Obama administration that he was in contact with Israeli ambassador to the US, Ron Dermer. "There's no secret here in Washington about the animosity that this White House has for Prime Minister Netanyahu. I frankly didn't want them getting in the way and quashing what I thought was a real opportunity," he said. The majority of Americans think Obama should meet with Netanyahu when the Israeli premier visits Washington next month to speak in front of joint session of Congress, according to a poll conducted by international internet-based market research firm YouGov and the Huffington Post. In a survey of 1000 US adults interviewed from February 4-8, 2015, 49 percent said it was inappropriate for a member of Congress to invite a foreign leader to speak in the US without first consulting with the White House – 26 percent found that such an invite would be appropriate while 25 percent said they were unsure. When the question specifically addressed the case of House Speaker Boehner inviting Netanyahu to address Congress without approval, and mention the White House calling the invitation a breach of protocol, 47 percent found the invitation inappropriate, 30 percent found it appropriate and 23 percent were unsure.

A group of Palestinians has decided to continue a lawsuit against several US-based "charitable organizations" accused of supporting violent Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.Although the case had been rejected by a judge, the group has now decided to appeal against the dismissal.The complaint was originally filed almost two years ago on behalf of thirteen Palestinian residents of the West Bank (two of whom are US citizens), a mosque and a Greek Orthodox monastery. All of the plaintiffs have suffered attacks by settlers.In May last year, US District Judge Jesse Furman dismissed the complaint, claiming that the plaintiffs had failed to prove the US organizations had intended to facilitate violence.The Second Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear arguments for appeal on 15 April. If the case is allowed to go forward it will be the first time for a Palestinian to sue a US-based charity under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).The ATA allows civil action in US courts against those who allegedly support acts of terror. It has been primarily used to prosecute Muslim and Palestinian-Americans.The plaintiffs have alleged that five US-based, tax-exempt organizations that have given large donations to settlements in the West Bank provided material support for terrorism due to the fact that settlers were known to have undertaken "price tag" attacks on Palestinians and their property. "Price tag" attacks have occurred when buildings or structures erected by settlers without permission from the Israeli authorities have been demolished.In 2011, the US State Department referred to "price tag" attacks as "terrorist incidents."The plaintiffs have suffered attacks by settlers, including by gunfire, firebombs, vandalism of a church or mosque and the burning of farmland.Tax-exemptMelito and Adolfsen, the commercial law firm representing the plaintiffs, told The Electronic Intifada that their scope is more narrow than the judge characterized in his dismissal. Their suit is not looking at all settlements in the West Bank or alleging that all settlement activity amounts to terrorism; rather they are focusing on specific fringe settlements — Yitzhar and Bat Ayin — the residents of which espouse the most radical ideologies and carry out some of the worst violence.These settlements, the suit alleges, have received ample funding from the five organizations that conduct their fundraising campaigns in the US with the benefit of a tax-exempt status.For example, the Central Fund of Israel, one of the defendants named in the case, has given thousands of dollars to the Yitzhar settlement, which has advocated for such extreme violence that the Israeli army intervened last year. The Israeli government has, however, also funded the Yitzhar settlement.In 2009, the Yitzhar settlement's yeshiva — a religious school — published a book that provided a "justification" for killing non-Jews who allegedly pose a threat to Israel. Just last week, Israeli police seized arms from Yitzhar, which they believed were intended to be used against Palestinians.The five organizations accused of aiding Israeli settlers are The Hebron Fund, Central Fund of Israel, One Israel Fund, Christian Friends of Israel and American Friends of Ateret Cohanim. All are based in New York.

US President Barack Obama on Monday defended his refusal to meet with Israeli occupation Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu because it was their policy not to meet any leaders "two weeks before their elections."Obama said that even if German chancellor, Angela Merkel, was two weeks away from elections she wouldn't receive an invitation to the white house, and she "wouldn't have asked for one."

He described his refusal by saying that this was "the way [they] do business.Obama then voiced that he had differences with Netanyahu on the Iranian issue.Read More: Despite US Opposition, Netanyahu to Impose Congress SpeechDespite continuing and mounting opposition to his plans to address the US Congress on March 3, including from American Jewish organizational leaders, Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is "determined to go" and make the case against an Iranian nuclear deal, said a senior government official. The Senior government official's comments came amid speculation that Netanyahu might, at the last minute, find a reason to put off the trip to Washington until after the March 17 elections and avoid exacerbating tensions with the Obama administration, Jpost said.Netanyahu, however, seems to feel that the speech against an Iranian nuclear deal cannot be delayed until after the elections and the establishment of a new government, because by then it would be too late.Netanyahu compared his speech at congress with the Paris anti-terrorism rally, where he imposed himself despite the French president Francios Holladne's will.He alluded to this at Sunday's cabinet meeting, saying that US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held talks over the weekend and announced that they intended to complete a framework agreement by the end of March. It is precisely to warn against that agreement that Netanyahu has indicated he cannot put off the visit, and that there is a timetable that cannot be ignored, said Jpost.

The United States government decided to deport the Palestinian Academician Dr. Sami al-Arian for charges of offering aid to Islamic Jihad Movement after years of legal battles.

Dr. Sami al-Arian, former professor at Florida University, left on Feb 4, 2015 at night on a commercial flight out of Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.

He was boarded a flight to Turkey, according to a blog post by his attorney, Jonathan Turley.

"Despite the long and arduous ordeal and hardships suffered by my family, I leave with no bitterness or resentment in my heart whatsoever," al-Arian wrote in the online post.

The case against al-Arian, formerly a computer science professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa, received international attention as a test of U.S. government's powers under the Patriot Act.

Al-Arian was arrested in 2003 on charges that he gave money and support to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States.

A jury later acquitted al-Arian of eight of the 17 charges against him, failing to reach a verdict on the remaining counts.

In 2006, al-Arian was expected to be deported as he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide services to the organization. He agreed to be deported after serving his prison sentence.

Instead, the legal battle continued when Federal Prosecutors in Alexandria sought to hear his testimony in a separate investigation, but he refused to do so in order to avoid cooperation with Federal investigations.

In 2008, he was charged for refusing to testify in a separate investigation despite giving him immunity.

The Israeli premier, Benjamin Netanyahu, has called on the United States to interfere to prevent the International Criminal Court (ICC) from launching a probe into the situation in the Palestinian territories.Netanyahu had called US Secretary of State John Kerry and asked him to interfere to prevent the court from launching the inquiry, Israeli TV Channel 2 said Saturday.

Earlier on Friday ICC prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, announced that the court had opened a preliminary investigation into the "situation in Palestine" after the Palestinian government accused the Israeli occupation of committing war crimes against the Palestinian people.

Bensouda said that her examination would be conducted "in full independence and impartiality," a decision that has been slammed as "shameful" by the Israeli government.

"Israel rejects the absurd decision of the ICC prosecutor," Netanyahu was quoted by his office as saying on Saturday.

He said he would not be surprised if the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militant group, al-Qaeda, or the Lebanese movement Hezbollah followed suit.

"To what depth of absurdity has the tribunal sunk?" PM asks, claiming that a decision to probe possible war crimes in Palestinian territories runs contrary to reasons for which the tribunal was created.

The US Department of State on Friday expressed opposition to the decision of the ICC prosecutor.

Israeli war minister, Moshe Ya'alon, meanwhile, criticized the ICC decision, describing it on his Facebook page as a "hypocritical" one that condones terrorism instead of fighting it.

The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, hailed such a move by the ICC dubbing it a step in the right direction.

Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri called on the court to carry out the necessary procedures and take legal action against the Israeli occupation war criminals.

The United States joined Israel in condemning the International Criminal Court decision to open a preliminary probe into possible war crimes committed against Palestinians, blasting it as a "tragic irony."ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said her office would conduct an "analysis in full independence and impartiality" into alleged war crimes by Israel, including those committed during last year's Gaza offensive.

Her decision comes after Palestine formally joined the ICC earlier this month, allowing it to lodge war crimes and crimes against humanity complaints against Israel as of April.

Nearly 2,200 Palestinians, overwhelmingly civilians, and 73 Israelis, almost all soldiers, were killed during last summer's Israeli assault on Gaza.

The US criticized the decision late Friday, saying it opposed actions against Israel at the ICC as "counterproductive to the cause of peace."

"It is a tragic irony that Israel, which has withstood thousands of terrorist rockets fired at its civilians and its neighborhoods, is now being scrutinized by the ICC," US State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke said in a statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier reacted angrily to the prosecutor's decision, calling it "scandalous" and "absurd" since "the Palestinian Authority cooperates with Hamas, a terror group that commits war crimes, in contrast to Israel that fights terror while maintaining international law, and has an independent justice system."

Gambian-born Bensouda had earlier stressed that "a preliminary examination is not an investigation but a process of examining the information available ... on whether there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation."

Bensouda will decide at a later stage whether to launch a full investigation.

Stalled US-led peace process

Israel began a massive crackdown on the West Bank on June 13 after the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers, triggering a series of escalations that led to the seven-week Gaza war.

Palestine's move to join the ICC is also seen as part of a shift in strategy to internationalize its campaign for statehood and move away from the stalled US-led peace process.

Many Palestinians regard the process with suspicion as Israel has consistently increased settlement expansion and land confiscation during the talks, in addition to arrests and killings of activists.

The Palestinians were upgraded from observer status to UN "observer state" in 2012, opening the doors for them to join the ICC and a host of other international organizations.

Israel reacted swiftly on Friday, slamming the announcement.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the sole purpose of the preliminary examination was to "try to harm Israel's right to defend itself from terror" and he said the decision was "solely motivated by political anti-Israel considerations."

Lieberman accused the court of double standards for not examining the mass killings in Syria or other conflict zones, investigating instead "the most moral army in the world."

Israel earlier this month delayed transferring some $127 million in taxes it collects on behalf of the Palestinians in retaliation for the attempts to press war crimes charges against Israel.

Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki welcomed the ICC's move.

"Everything is going according to plan, no state and nobody can now stop this action we requested," he told AFP.

"In the end, a full investigation will follow the preliminary one."

'Justice for victims'

Rights group Amnesty International welcomed the ICC's announcement saying it "could pave the way for thousands of victims of crimes under international law to gain access to justice."

But the initial probe could lead to an investigation into crimes "committed by all side," Amnesty stressed in a statement.

Friday's announcement is the second such initial probe by the ICC's prosecutor into the situation in Palestine.

The Palestinian Authority in 2009 lodged a complaint against Israel but the ICC prosecutor said in 2012 after "carefully considering legal arguments" it could not investigate because of the Palestinians' status at the UN.

At the time the Palestinians' "observer" status blocked them from signing up to the ICC's founding Rome Statute.

The ICC, which sits in The Hague in the Netherlands, is the world's first independent court set up in 2002 to investigate genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

But it can only probe alleged crimes in countries that have ratified the Rome Statute, or accepts the Hague-based court's jurisdiction for a certain time period, or through a referral by the UN Security Council.

U.S. President Barck Obama Monday briefed the Israeli premier on Washington’s positions vis-à-vis the latest Palestinian request to join the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Barack Obama spoke by phone on Monday with the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu about ongoing nuclear talks with Iran and about the Palestinian move to join the ICC, the White House said. "President Obama underscored that the United States does not believe Palestinian accession to the ICC is a constructive way forward," the White House said in a statement, reiterating the U.S. position that the Palestinian Authority is not a sovereign state and does not legally qualify to join the Rome Statute.

"The United States continues to strongly oppose actions by both parties that undermine trust, and encourages both sides to seek ways to deescalate tensions," the statement read.

Earlier, on Friday, the Palestinian delegation to the UN delivered the paperwork to Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Stephen Mathias, asking for membership in the ICC.

The Palestinians moved quickly to join the court after suffering a defeat at the U.N. Security Council, which rejected a resolution that would have set a three-year deadline for the end of the Israeli occupation.

American senators have threatened Palestinian leadership with a "strong response" over the recent decision to join the International Criminal Court. Press TV reports, via PNN, that Senators Lindsey Graham, Robert Menendez, Chuck Schumer, and Mark Kirk issued the warning in a statement, on Friday.

The statement described the Palestinian move as "deplorable" and "counterproductive."

PA President Mahmoud Abbas signed an application to join the Hague-based ICC after the United Nations Security Council rejected a Palestinian proposal for statehood on December 30, 2014.

"Existing US law makes clear that if the Palestinians initiate an ICC judicially authorized investigation, or actively support such an investigation, all economic assistance to the PA must end," the senators said, adding:

"In light of this legal requirement, Congress will reassess its support for assistance to the PA and seek additional ways to make clear to President Abbas that we strongly oppose his efforts to seek membership in the ICC."

Republican US Sen. Rand Paul introduced a bill on Wednesday that would immediately halt American aid to the Palestinian Authority, US media reported. The Associated Press reported that the bill would cut aid until the Palestinian Authority withdraws its bid to join the International Criminal Court to pursue war-crimes charges against Israel.

"We are currently sending roughly $400 million of U.S. taxpayer dollars to the Palestinian Authority," Paul said, according to the AP. "Certainly, groups that threaten Israel cannot be allies of the U.S. I will continue to do everything in my power to make sure this president and this Congress stop treating Israel's enemies as American allies."